Explain Brother Bear...

[luvJC4saken]

Ok, so Disney Studios is stopping hand drawn animation for 3D computer because they say people just aren't into hand drawn anymore.

SaveDisney.com argues that it's Disney's fault because they aren't making their movies "Disney" like anymore...

Now, I haven't seen Brother Bear, but from the previews I don't see how it is any less "Disney" than Beauty and the Beast. It's an animal talkie--characteristic of Disney. It certainly has a fair amount of magic and make belief just like any other successful Disney movie, and it DID get nominated for Best Animated Picture.

So if Disney did it right, supposedly. Why didn't anyone go see the dang thing? I love the style of hand drawn film, but I'm also an artist myself and an aspiring animator (either medium) which makes me extremely biased. Maybe the Studios is right. Maybe for now, at least, people would just rather see visually complex computer animation.

I'd like some thoughts on this please. It sounds like people on this board really liked Brother Bear also.

 

[DisneyFan 2000]

If your opinion is strictly based on previews I suggest you watch the movie first. To me it also seems as a classic but I haven't seen it yet so I'll withhold my judgement, although I hear from many that this one is very under-rated!

And BTW, maybe BB got nominated for best animation (which is very good) but B&tB got nominated for best MOVIE. That is by far more impressive, if you want to talk about nominations.

 

[ISTCrew20]

Brother Bear was awesome. The plot was really cool, the way they switched it around like that. I thought it was a classic Disney movie, but not in the sense Lion King or Little Mermaid was. I think the main problem with it was, there wasn't enough comic relief. No Timon and Pumbaa. By the previews, you'd think the 2 moose, Rutt and Tuke would play that role, but that was the only thing I was dissapointed in. The moose play a little part in the whole movie and if they weren't in it at all, the story wouldn't of suffered. The movie just seemed a little slow at times. I think another thing that hurt it was that it was SO realistic. I even forgot I was watching an animated movie at times. Compare realistic to talking clocks and aliens dressed as dogs in other movies that did well. And lastly, I think bad advertising played a part.

 

[barnum42]

My initial reaction to this film - based on the trailers - it that it looked like Emperor's New Groove, but without the humour. You know - a man is turned into an animal and from that perspective learns a lesson.

I saw the film, it was not bad. It was not brilliant, but not bad. It may be one of those that works better on a repeat viewing.

 

[tenchu]

I dont think people care what manner the film is made, either CG or traditional.

If the film is not good enough, people will not go to see it.

Period, as our colonial cousins might say.

 

[Little Mermaid]

I saw Brother Bear twice in the theater and have watched it twice on DVD. Personally, I think it's one of the best Disney animated movies in a long time. The story is very powerful, the animation is gorgeous, the colors are amazing...I even liked the music, although not as much as the music from Disney's animation Renaissance (TLM, B and the B, Aladdin, TLK). I think Brother Bear was VASTLY under-rated, but that's just my thoughts.

 

[Woody13]

Do we help, or do we hurt? Make up your own mind.

 

[celticdog]

Originally posted by ISTCrew20
Brother Bear was awesome. The plot was really cool, the way they switched it around like that. I thought it was a classic Disney movie, but not in the sense Lion King or Little Mermaid was. I think the main problem with it was, there wasn't enough comic relief. No Timon and Pumbaa. By the previews, you'd think the 2 moose, Rutt and Tuke would play that role, but that was the only thing I was dissapointed in. The moose play a little part in the whole movie and if they weren't in it at all, the story wouldn't of suffered. The movie just seemed a little slow at times. I think another thing that hurt it was that it was SO realistic. I even forgot I was watching an animated movie at times. Compare realistic to talking clocks and aliens dressed as dogs in other movies that did well. And lastly, I think bad advertising played a part.

I agree, there wasn't enough comic relief. The movie as a whole held a tone that was generally sad, at least to me. The animation was outstading. The backgrounds were extremely well done. The lights touching mountain was awe inspiring.

 

[luvJC4saken]

How well did BB do in the Box Office?? If I understand right it flopped.

My reasoning is to evaluate the battle between Disney's corporate managers and 2-D enthusiasts about whether 2-D is still profitable. I myself am a HUGE fan of hand drawn films and would love to see them continue in production. However, with Brother Bear there are two things that I can't get past...

1) The movie seemed to be an artistic (and by that I mean TOTAL art--not just visuals but also story, characters, etc.) success. On this board I've heard more good reviews than bad. It WAS nominated for Best Animation Picture, and all and all it seems like it must have been a good movie.

2) It STILL flopped!

Either the Walt Disney Company is right in closing down it's Feature Animation Department, or the very people who say they love hand drawn films are too lazy enought to drag themselves to the theaters. If the latter is the case then they must not REALLY like traditional animation that much, but just want to give management a hard time so that they can justify their wanting current management to resign.

Understand, that whether this is the case or not, I want Eisner out just as much as anyone else. He's let too much talent slip through his fingers.

 

[DisneyFan 2000]

Originally posted by luvJC4saken
How well did BB do in the Box Office?? If I understand right it flopped.

It was no blockbuster but it was profitable! Not a flop in my book!